Black Smoke & DPF Issues: Corsa Diesel Owner Seeks Help

Had the same problem with my 2019 Vauxhall Astra 1.6 diesel last summer. Black smoke, rough idle, and DPF light constantly on. Turned out the DPF was severely clogged and couldn't do passive regeneration anymore. The exhaust back pressure sensor wasn't the issue in my case. Took it to my trusted garage in town, they did a thorough diagnostic and found that the DPF was about 95% blocked. They had to do a forced regeneration first, but that wasn't enough. Eventually needed a complete DPF clean because there was too much soot buildup. Also replaced the pressure differential sensor while they were at it since it was showing weird readings. It was quite a serious job, had to leave the car at the garage for 3 days. But since then, it's been running like new. No more black smoke, fuel consumption is back to normal, and DPF regenerates properly now. Make sure you find a garage that specializes in diesel engines and DPF systems. Worth getting it sorted properly rather than trying quick fixes.

Thanks for sharing your experience! This sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with. I'm glad you got it sorted. Do you remember roughly how much the whole job set you back? Also, has everything been running smoothly since then, or have you had any other DPF-related issues pop up?

Hey again! Happy to help with those details. Yeah, the final bill came to 1325.00 €, not cheap, but honestly worth every penny considering how well the car's running now. The biggest chunk was for fixing the severely overloaded DPF, and they also sorted out that faulty exhaust back pressure sensor I mentioned earlier. I'm actually really glad I got the pressure sensor fixed too because it seems that was part of what was causing the regeneration issues in the first place. Haven't had a single DPF-related problem since the repair, and it's been about 8 months now. The car's running super smooth, fuel economy is back to what it should be, and no more of that annoying black smoke! Just make sure you get someone who really knows their diesel engines. And once it's fixed, try to include some longer drives in your routine, it helps keep the DPF happy. Trust me, dealing with a specialist might cost more upfront, but it saves you headaches (and money) in the long run.

Thanks again for all the info! Just wanted to update everyone, I took your advice and found a diesel specialist in town. Turns out, my situation was pretty similar. The DPF was completely clogged, and they also found issues with the pressure sensor. Bill came to about 1200€, which wasn't fun, but the difference is incredible! Did the work last week, and honestly, it feels like I'm driving a different car. No more black smoke, engine's running smooth as butter, and fuel consumption has improved dramatically. The mechanic was really thorough and even gave me some tips about preventing future DPF issues, like taking the car for a good motorway run every couple of weeks. Thanks everyone for the help, especially you, your experience helped me make the right decision instead of trying cheaper quick fixes that probably wouldn't have solved the problem. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and get things done properly!